Are Collagen Supplements Really Worth the Hype?

One of the fastest-growing segments of the beauty industry is the supplement market, and collagen supplements are leading the charge.

Collagen is the main structural protein found in our bodies, and is essential for the health of skin, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues. It’s believed there are twenty-eight types of collagen, but the most common are types I, II, and III.

About 80 per cent of the collagen in your body is made up of those three types, with type I and III mainly in your skin and bones, and type II mostly in your joints.

Your body does produce collagen naturally, but production slows as you age, which can lead to wrinkles, sagging and inelastic skin, muscle weakness and stiff joints. Pollution, smoking, UV exposure and stress can all reduce production. And thus, many collagen supplements are hitting the market, claiming to improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, strengthen bones and nails, improve joint mobility and even build muscle—but do they work?

Supplements generally contain one or more of the three main types of collagen and are available in three main forms.

Raw, also known as undenatured, collagen is an intact protein; gelatin, the collagen of which is partly broken down into smaller protein pieces known as amino acids; hydrolyzed collagen, which is also known as collagen hydrolysate or collagen peptides, is completely broken down into amino acids.

This last type—hydrolyzed collagen—is the type that your body absorbs most efficiently, as your body needs to break collagen down into amino acids to be able to use it to create more collagen. It’s the same process your body naturally goes through to create collagen from proteins you eat, just more direct.

There has been some research that suggests taking a collagen supplement offers some benefit. Mostly small and fairly basic, some studies have shown supplements can increase skin elasticity, improve plumpness, reduce wrinkles, and other signs of ageing, while others have suggested improvements in bone density, joint pain, and body hydration. When doing your research, though, it’s important to check who funded or carried out studies.

Which Collagen is Best?

So what’s the best way to get it into your system? There are all sorts of options on the market, from pills, powders and liquids to topical creams, all promising to work magic on your skin and bones.

You can probably skip the creams—collagen is produced much deeper in your dermis, so applying it to the outer layers won’t do much.

Powders and liquids are a good option, as they’re usually in a form that your body can access easily and you can add them to drinks to easily work them into your diet, but pills are fine too.

Make sure to check the label to be sure you’re getting hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides, and avoid plant-based collagen as it offers production support rather than actual collagen.

It should be noted that your first port of call should always be to get everything you need from a well-rounded diet. Increase your body’s collagen production with a diet high in protein sources like beef, chicken, fish, beans, eggs and dairy products. The process also requires vitamin C, zinc and copper, so get plenty of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, seafood and oysters.

If you still feel like you could use a hand, here are three collagen supplements to try:

Unichi

Unichi Rose Collagen Gummy is a sweet and chewy supplement powered by marine collagen and flavoured with natural rosehip.

Vida Glow

Australian-based Vida Glow’s Original Marine Collagen is an unflavoured hydrolysed peptide powder that comes in single-serving packets so you can boost your intake on the go.

Mukti Organics

Mukti Bioactive Collagen Booster is made of sustainably sourced marine collagen peptides plus skin-boosting antioxidants, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, resveratrol and aloe vera, so it’s the full package.